In general, it takes just around a minute for the spices in a tadka to brown, sizzle, and release their fragrance. Use all of your senses, especially sight, sound, and smell, to assess a tadka’s development. I find the sound and visual cues to be much more useful guides than a precise measurement of time or temperature.
While every tadka is unique, here is a rough guide to how I approach making it; other cooks may have slightly different methods. Generally speaking, the process is as follows: Add the rest of the whole spices, including larger pieces like cinnamon sticks, and small beans or lentils.If using asafetida or other ground spices, add them next. They will be fragrant and lightly toasted within a few seconds.
Very well written